Drug abuse leads to jail time

THE SAD link between drug abuse and offending was evident in the jailing of a young Toowoomba man.

Stephen Christopher Theodosis, 21, had been a "better than average" school student who excelled at sport and coached junior teams, his barrister Scott Lynch told Toowoomba District Court.

However, he had started using illicit drugs and not long after was breaking into homes in Toowoomba and stealing property.

In January, 2003, he was sentenced to five years' jail, suspended after 20 months for five years, after he pleaded guilty to property offences totalling more than $80,000.

Mr Lynch said Theodosis resisted offers of drugs while in prison and had stayed clean for 31/2 months after his release from jail last October.

However, he had accepted two "shots" of amphetamine at a New Year's Eve party in Brisbane which ultimately led to his breaking into a Sunnybank Hills home that night and stealing money, jewellery and property totalling $5466.

Fingerprints found on a jewellery box at the complainant's home had led police to Theodosis.

Remorseful for his offending, Theodosis had written a letter of apology to the complainant, Mr Lynch said.

Theodosis pleaded guilty to the burglary which breached his suspended jail sentence.